


Battlefield

by linerwriter



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blood, Fighting, Gen, Minor Character Death, angst no comfort, wild and time are mentioned but never seen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:55:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26376103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/linerwriter/pseuds/linerwriter
Summary: Bodies. Blood. The stench of death. These weren’t unfamiliar concepts to a man nicknamed Warriors. But he hadn’t expected to see them again for a long time.He thought he could handle the effects of war. He thought wrong.
Relationships: Legend & Warriors (Linked Universe), Twilight & Warriors (Linked Universe)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 63





	Battlefield

**Author's Note:**

> I hope no one is surprised that this was made in honor of Age of Calamity being announced. Disclaimer: I have never played Hyrule Warriors, so if there are things that seem odd, that's why.
> 
> TW: blood, battle, minor character death

Bodies. Blood. The stench of death. These weren’t unfamiliar concepts to a man nicknamed Warriors. But he hadn’t expected to see them again for a long time.

Swing. Slash. Back away, don’t let them get close. Jab at an opening. Strike to kill. Commands floated through the captain’s mind, body on autopilot. The scene was familiar to him; thousands of enemies descending on the army, a hive mind connected to something. He had hoped that none of his companions had needed to know what war felt like, but it was too late now.

They had landed away from the battle, but the sounds of conflict evidently reached them and they were fighting. They barely had time to get their bearings, but they couldn’t ignore the call to help. The land they were on was vaguely familiar, like an old photograph they never paid attention to.

He could see Wind out of the corner of his eye, facing off a much smaller group. No matter how much their youngest member said he was just as good as them, old habits died hard, and Warriors would be damned if he got the boy killed. A bokoblin started to creep up behind him, but Twilight managed to take it before harm was done.

“Does anyone know where Wild is?” Twilight yelled over the swords of weapons clashing.

“Didn’t he enter the portal with us?” Legend yelled back. “Behind you!”

Twilight spun around, slicing an enemy in half. “Thanks!”

“Keep yourself aware,” Warriors slipped into an old, commanding tone. “You never know when something could sneak up on you.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” Legend rolled his eyes, shifting back into a fighting stance. He frowned, “I think they’re starting to head to the castle. I’ll stay back here with Wind; you two go ahead.”

Warriors nodded, “Fire off a fireball if you need help. We’ll see you in a bit.” He held Legend’s gaze, Wind coming up behind the smaller man. “Hylia be with you.”

Legend jerked his head in a nod as the two ran off. Twilight quirked a brow, “What was that about?”

“Old habit.” Warriors said grimly, tracking their surroundings. “Never knew when you were gonna die, but if Hylia was with you, you could at least die peacefully. Hang on, I think I hear something.” The two stopped, listening intently. They could faintly hear the sound of someone breathing raggedly near them and stepped closer to a bush to find the source.

They were distracted by sounds coming from the main battle, “The champion is here!”

“Fall back, the champion will help!”

“Gather the wounded, the champion will take care of them!”

Twilight and Warriors shared a look, “Champion?” Twilight breathed. “I thought he let go of that name.

Warriors made a split-second decision, “Go. If we are where we think we are, and when we think we are, he’s gonna need your help. Meet up with Time and the others and tell them where we are. Got it?” Twilight nodded, “Then go. I’ll be fine back here.”

Twilight made to run, then paused for a second and looked back, “Hylia be with you.”

“With you as well. Now shoo!” Twilight smiled then ran off. Warriors turned back to the bush and muttered to himself, “Now or never, I guess,” and ripped away to leaves.

On the ground was a man, a soldier by the looks of his uniform, and one pretty high up. He had short brown hair and green eyes, and his face was bloody from a broken nose. The reason for the ragged breathing was obvious: a stab wound was in the middle of his body, close to his heart.

The sight punched a breath out of the hero. He was brought back to all the times he had seen his comrades fallen, people he had trained and grown up with, gone. A rattled cough brought him out of his mind and back to the present.

“Sir, I need you to stay with me.” Warriors knelt down next to him, fishing out some spare bandages.

“Who’re you?” The man wheezed, clutching his chest.

“My name is Warriors, sir, and I’m here to help. I need you to let go so I can help you.”

“Leave me, I’m not worth it.” The man waved him away, his eyes glossing over.

Warriors’ face tightened, “Sir, I doubt that is the case. Now, if you will let me see your wound-”

“Fine, fine,” the man laughed, then winced in pain. “You sound like my wife.”

“I get that sometimes.”

“Do you, now?” The man settled down to let the hero work. “Always moving, ordering me around. Never stopped me from loving her.”

Warriors smiled, “Sounds nice.”

“She’s a joy. I have two kids, boy and a girl. She was always willing to help, always knew what to do.” The man grew quiet, then whispered, “Dunno if I’ll ever see them again.”

“I’ll make sure you do. It’s my job.”

The man opened his eyes and stared quietly at his face. The only sounds came from the battlefield as Warriors wound more bandages to staunch the bloodflow. After a moment, the man spoke.

“Hey,” the man’s gaze searched Warrior’s face with surprising clarity, “You look kinda familiar.”

Warriors quirked an eyebrow, focused on his hands, “How so?

The man was quiet for a moment, searching his brain. Finally, he spoke, “My son. You look like my son.”

“Yeah? What’s he look like?” Warriors asked. The man’s eyes were flickering back, his body limply relaxing. Warriors shook him, “Hey, stay with me. What’s your son like?”

The man smiled, reflecting on good memories. “He’s the best son you could ever ask for. He has his mother’s hair, golden as wheat, and eyes as blue as the sea. He’s a little smaller than you, but you both have the same nose.” He coughed up blood, shooing away the younger soldier with a wave when Warriors tensed up. “He was so energetic and rambunctious when he was younger, always had a smile on his face. Ever since he took up the sword, though, it’s been missing. I wish I could’ve seen it one last time.”

With each word, Warriors’ could feel himself tense up.  _ It couldn’t be, yet… _ “What’s your son’s name?”

The man smiled again, one Time gave whenever he was proud of them, “Link. If you make it out of this alive, tell him I love him, will you?” The man closed his eyes and let out his final breath.

Warriors’ eyes widened. He shook the body desperately, yelling for him to wake up. The body started to grow numb beneath him when he finally gave up, staring hollowly at his hands. The noises of battle and death faded to the background as memories of a smaller, more solemn body filled his head. Finally, he sobbed, folding his head into hands.

_ What am I gonna do? _


End file.
